God has a looong history of orchestrating attitude adjustments to the inhabitants of this old Earth. He especially seems to focus on the people who have chosen to follow Him through Life. In this present moment, the whole world is dealing with a “plague” like most have never personally experienced. Unexpected, life-altering, scary, and destructive. Our own mortality is in our faces.

But within this global “Disruption” have come changes of attitudes, changes of perspective, and a lot more time to “be.” It’s been beyond our human control to end it. Most have experienced a realization that we cannot just “fix” this.

Earth has a long history of world-changing events…and often these have been part of an awakening to God Himself.

In the prophet Jeremiah’s time, his world was also experiencing a serious “shaking.” There was fear, a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, …all that hadbeen was changing.

God’s perspective is far different from our human perspective. He does not focus on all the “stuff” of life on this planet. He is focused on hearts…on values…on how we value Him and the place we give Him in our daily lives.

God spoke to a man named Baruch, whose world was on the brink of devastation.

Baruch had been writing down the things the old Prophet Jeremiah spoke…which was a lot! He was not very happy about it, either…nor of the compensation for all his work. (Prophets tend to be “loner’s” and financially living on the kindness of others. And they talk a lot, so we can imagine what his “secretary” lived with.)

The people had taken their world into their own hands, disregarding the God who had made them a nation and had cared for them as His Own. Prophet Jeremiah likely had a LOT to say about all of that.

Baruch (which means “Blessed”, but AKA “The Secretary”) had God’s attention. We are given a glimpse into God’s warning to him about one thing: “Do not seek great things for yourself.”

We, as the people of God, are blessed…if for no other reason than His choosing us to be His Holy Nation…His Family. The greatest risk to that relationship is turning our focus on “me…myself…and I.”

In the desert refugee camps, a moment that is stamped on my mind was when I saw a scruffy little girl receive a gift from one of our group. She quickly opened it and pulled out a doll. Her shriek of joy quickly turned into a dash out of the tent, shouting, “Look what WE got! Look what WE got!” as she waved the doll over her head. Her little friends came from all directions, joyfully gathered around the new doll. There was no “I…my….mine” in the mix. The gift was for all of them, in that little girl’s mind.

The best place for us to be is focusing on God, rather than on ourselves. The focus of “me” and “mine” can dissolve in a moment. But keeping our focus centered on God is the safest place to be.

Paul is talking to us through a prayer over us. In a nutshell, he is asking God to make us “holy.” On this earth, we live far from “holy.” We don’t even have a human model to show us what that would look like! It’s not something we can do out of our own heads. Only God can do that. To become holy would mean that we would look like Jesus, our only example throughout all of the ages of what a holy human would look like…act like…

Be like. We would change in ways that would make us look more like Jesus…a family resemblance to Him.

Do we look like Jesus? Is the family resemblance clear enough to be noticable to the people we’re with? When we are in a gathering of people who have come into God’s Family, it’s not so obvious. Most have similar characteristics. But when we are in a situation where non-believers are the vast majority, does your Family Resemblance show, or do you just blend into the crowd?

You can’t create your own “family resemblance”….it’s just there. So, when you’re simply hanging out in your daily world, do other people see anything that resembles the characteristics of Jesus? A “family resemblance” is a natural part of being in your family. It’s not something you can create.

The first time I visited the desert, I was truly afraid of being identified as a “Christian.” It was a very unwelcome identity in that part of the world. So on practical levels, I seriously tried to blend into their world.

The first day, I met a beautiful young woman who spoke English. As we were becoming acquainted, she unexpectedly leaned in, and asked in a hushed voice, “Are you Christian?” I hesitantly nodded. She whispered, “Tell me!”

I had been careful to give no outward evidence of my faith. No cards, tags, symbols, etc. But the family resemblance had been noted…by someone who had never even been exposed to my Family. It was nothing visible nor verbally identifiable. It was simply part of my Family identityof the Spirit inside. No person can make that happen. We can try to make it apparent on the outside, but that will soon fail. When Christ comes into our lives, the Family Resemblance becomes part of who we are, as a result of Whose we are.

The Spirit within us …the Holy Spirit…has one key evident Characteristic that shows up for others to identify: A strong family likeness to Jesus Christ.

Abraham was on the move. That’s just part of living in a tent! There’s a whole culture tied to tent-living: Moving often, a sense of “temporary” to life, a sense of vulnerability to elements of nature as well as to the people who may cross your path. It’s the typical housing of shepherds, herdsmen, and people who enjoy “camping” in the heart of nature.

But as Abraham journeyed into the new world of following God, he had to continually make adjustments….he was perpetually in a learning mode.

This time, he was settling into a region where he’d not been before, among a people and culture that was not his own.

The details of places named in Bible stories are significant, though we in 2020 rarely catch the significance of those details. Yet the details are there for a reason:

Bethel: One side of where Abraham set up his tent-home. Bet= house El= of God

Ai: On the other side of him, representing things of the world, but apart from God

Abraham set up his tent between the two places. Then he built an altar, where he would worship the One God he followed. He would make sacrifices on that altar as a regular act of worship.

Isn’t it similar to the place in this world where we live? We live out our ‘tent’ lives between the God Who has come to us and drawn us to Himself, but always in sight of this earthly world which demands that our attention be drawn away from God. Both are in our sights, and we daily have to determine which we will be drawn to….belong to. Our ‘tent’ is to be held loosely…tents are not permanent.

Altars are built of rocks. They are meant to last. They’re not disposable nor dispensable. Altars stand as reminders of Who we worship…Whose we are. And long after we’re gone, the altar of our worship stands, a testament of the One Who called us and made us His Own in this world.

Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground.”

Epheasians 6:13-17

Note of Warning: The following is from a deeply female, mom perspective. But I’ve peeked through my fingers at many movie battle scenes with knights, etc. It is also acknowledging that half of the battle is in our own heads….

The Battle in this passage has moved from a 1-on-1 of “wrestling” to a full out armed battle.

Our Hope…our Light in the midst of the darkness, is God Himself, and all that He has provided. He wants us to be safe….to feel safe! He has even provided armor to protect us and help us feel secure enough to fight. He wants us to win….not to be victims to the dangers, the evil of this world. His Armor is offered. Our part is to take it…and to put it on. With His Armor, we will be able to stand strong, without fear of what is happpening around us or what is to come. He doesn’t throw us out on the battlefield of this life with a “Good luck.”

The opponents listed are daunting:

rulers, authorities and powers of darkness, and

spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world.

The armor that God supplies for us to take and use includes:

The Sword of the Spirit : God’s Word, which cuts and separates Truth from lies The Breastplate of Righteousness: Protection for our hearts by all that is Right by God’s Design

The Belt of Truth: Belts go around waists….pretty vulnerable part of our bodies. Ever have a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach just thinking about something? God offers to wrap His Truth around that queasy, emotionally affected part of us. His Truth can protect our vulnerable worries and upsets that make us feel “sick” inside.

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace: His Good News has been handed to us to carry it to others. He’s given us Shoes that are meant to “go”….not sit under the bed. We have Good News…the BEST News…to bring to a hopeless world. Peace. Peace of heart….peace of spirit….peace of mind….peace with others. Where can you find that in this world?

Shield of Faith: Faith is not physically visible. But it is as real as anything tangible. It is a force that can be present in the scariest of circumstances. It is stronger than anything tangible. Faith resides within us….takes the brunt of the blows of this world….regardless of what appears to be real. It is an invisible, solid-as-iron link between me and Him that protects my heart and soul from all the Enemy throws at me;

Helmet of Salvation: My brain….my “Thinker”….the core of WHO I AM….God puts His Helmet over that part of me, to protect my thoughts, my understanding, my beliefs. It saves me from

Who I am if not for His intervention in my life. That Helmet protects me from the troubled thoughts and wrong beliefs that would wreak havoc with me if not for His Truth penetrating that old Thinker.

Sword of the Spirit: God’s Word, which He has given to us….we are privileged to hold it in our hands, read it with our eyes, put it into our minds, and allow it to sink into our deepest parts. A SWORD is no small object. It’s nothing to play with. A sword is heavy. . .its weight has to be used with a strength that has built up. It’s as much a weapon of defense as it is offense. A sword extends far beyond a hand’s reach. It’s meant to cut….cut through all the lies and harm that comes at us pointed at our minds, hearts, and body. Its use has to be up close to the Enemy…eye to eye…not at a distance. God’s Sword can cut through it all. It is Truth. But unless we hold it tightly in our hands and have learned how to use it, it is of no help to us. God’s SWORD is not meant to simply be on display in a glass case or on a wall.

I had a friend who, in her own frustration with the life struggles that seemed to always be at her door said to me, “I see everyone else putting on all their pieces of God’s Armor, but I’m still struggling in my closet to even open the box!”

It’s worth the struggle! No armor is “easy” to put on. No armor feels good…it might hurt…it may inhibit our sense of “freedom” to move. Putting on armor takes time. It takes time and practice to learn how to move about with it on….how to effectively…wisely… use it.

But when the battle comes, you will be deeply grateful you had it on. It will save your life.

We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness,

and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world.

Ephesians 6:12

For me, anything to do with “wrestling” is about appealing as cleaning a fish. When my eldest son took up the sport in high school, I spent most of the time covering my face and looking in the opposite direction, praying that he wouldn’t die. It looked like one body with 4 arms, 4 legs, and 2 heads, one being my son’s. And his head should not have been in the place nor position it was poking out of. UGH!!

However, I have since come to appreciate the raw, human struggle that wrestling embodies. My desert nation has the sport of wrestling in their ancient history, and I have come to understand the human struggle it demonstrates. There is no distance between the two wrestlers. It is one of the most ancient and raw human means of physically struggling with another person. Face to face, hand to hand, skin to skin. Wrestlers do not have heavy armor for their matches. They wear very little, actually. Their defense and offense is purely physical.

In this passage, wrestling is used to exemplify the very real human struggle in which we are engaged during our time on earth. It is not as tangible as a wrestling match with a human enemy. Our opponent is not a physical, visible being. It is much more sinister and evil. But it is as real as anything physical…and always takes place in our own minds. Our Wrestling match is against the Enemy of our Souls….the dark, deadly Ruler of this earthly world.

In the sport of Wrestling, there is no armor nor weapon. It is hand to hand, face to face, and skin to skin combat. Wrestling is one of the most ancient sports of combat that exists. God describes our time on this earth as being a wrestling match between us as humans, and the spiritual powers of evil that cover our world.

In our “wrestling match” on earth, we are in a battle against the Evil One who dominates this planet. God knows that we are not strong nor powerful enough to battle the evil forces on earth.

Evil has covered the earth, and had its way for far too long. God is drawing us into this Battle, but not as a wrestler who has no weapons. This Wrestling Match is not one of human to human. This one is against evil itself.

Our Hope….our Light in the midst of the Darkness is God Himself, and all that He has provided.

Elijah was a drama magnet. He never seemed to have just a “normal” day like the rest of the people around him. Just in the chapter before this simple verse, he lived through dramatic extremes that no other man had experienced. It was part of being “chosen” by God.

I have a dear friend born in the land of Israel in the year it became a nation (1948), who recounts the history of the Jewish people (God’s “Chosen People”) as well as their current history. As a result, he often says, “God! Can You please choose somebody else for a while!”

I think that Elijah may have had similar thoughts. He was at the end of his rope. He had nothing more to give….in fact he had sunk into a sense of hopelessness that made him want to die. He had isolated himself. He did not want to go on. With the dramatic backdrop of the miracles God had used Elijah to carry out, a death threat from a woman hit him so hard that he literally wanted to die.

But God had been with him. He was still with him. God’s heart toward His dear servant remained as patient and faithful as always, even though Elijah was not feeling it. In His great Compassion, God sent His angel to be with Elijah. No judgement. No quoting Torah verses. No condemnation regarding the hopeless condition of His dear Servant Elijah. Not even reminders of Elijah’s recent “mountain-top experience” with God.

“Get up and eat.” God’s Presence was there. Simply. Practically. Kindly. No shaming or blaming to His dear servant. No lecture. God simply laid out fresh, warm bread and water, right where he was.

May we think of God’s Kindness toward His servant Elijah when we have become so depleted that we have nothing else to give. May we see His Provision in those hopeless moments . . . the simple things of life . . . the bare necessities that He sets before us without fanfare nor shame. And may we receive from Him those simple, everyday provisions that He offers us, trusting that He knows what is ahead and today’s provision…from His Hand….will be all we will need to step into tomorrow.

Wow!! Although the note before these verses calls this an invitation, I read it as a strong challenge! I think the Writer…the Lord (via Isaiah)…sounds pretty ticked! There is strong emotion in his words.

He begins with the challenging list that speaks to the reader’s own personal condition…sin! It’s a short list of heart issues…attitudes….things hidden in our own hearts, but blatently clear to God. He hates sin. It ruins us, ruins our relationship with Him, and wreaks havoc on the people in our lives.

It’s as if God is taking our faces in His Hands….”Look at Me! Listen!!” These commands have to do with our own choices. . . things we need to do ourselves. I hear passion and emotion in His heart towards this pointed list.

Then, there comes a short list of behaviors that should be outcomes of the work we need to do in our own hearts and attitudes. They have been placed in a catagory that focuses on “others.”

Seek Justice:

Arrest oppressors

Defend Orphans

Plead the case of widows

Justice involves setting the “wrong”….right. The three examples listed are such a common part of life in our world. These are not descriptions of people in a certain part of a city, or some other country……they’re often right in our own neighborhoods and circles of relationship.

Arrest oppressors: Oppression involves using power to push others down. Vulernable people are easy to see. And it’s a fair assumption that those in a position of greater strength or power in the life of “the weaker” have used that strength or power to push someone else down….or out. Whether it’s a matter of oppressing someone’s life circumstances, or their emotional vulnerability, their financial poverty, physical or mental limitations, or tough circumstances of life that have put them in a place of weakness, the people who take advantage of that become “oppressors.” The implication in this verse is that there may have even been illegal actions that have pushed those who are already “down” even further down. Arresting means putting a stop to what is going on….perhaps even legally. God’s heart is always soft towards those in vulnerable, weakened, broken conditions. His Heart is for the humble….humbled. Shouldn’t ours be as well?

Defend orphans: We do not have “orphanages” in our American world, but we still have orphans. Broken families are everywhere. Children abandoned by a parent, or parents, are often put into a legal system that allows for moving children from home to home. Millions of children have lived with no sense of stability, safety, emotional attachment or commitment from either their birth parents nor the temporary care of others who may or may not have a love or commitment to the child in their care. God’s Word often specifies His Heart for orphans….He

cares for them. He sees them, and looks to us to get involved in such a way that we add to their sense of being safein this dangerous world. The Bible often refers to God as “FATHER”

because we ALL need a father.

Plead the case of widows: Widows in ancient times stood a good chance of losing everything if their husband died. They became terribly vulnerable. Having lost a husband, they also lost their sense of safety…protection…having that husband who had stood between them and the things of this world that would hurt them. They had no voice. They were “easy targets” for those who would use them for their own benefit. Without the one who had been their protector, the widow now takes the brunt of what this world throws at women who have lost so much, on so many levels. No matter how strong the widow, when the “two” becomes “one”, life is forever changed. It is often still true today. A wife who loses her husband experiences repercussions that continue for the rest of her life.

For God to name these two specific catagories of human reality through Isaiah, matters. His Words are strong. This isn’t a suggestion. His challenge began with heart issues, but ended with practical action.